Newmarket Wednesday

WILLIAM Haggas brought up the middle leg of his treble courtesy of Sacred (Ryan Moore) in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes, and this smart juvenile has clearly trained on well despite looking to level out at the end of last season, and she was beating the right filly in the shape of Oh So Sharp Stakes winner Saffron Beach (Jane Chapple-Hyam/Adam Kirby), with race favourite Love Is You (Roger Charlton/Jason Watson) third behind the 6/1 winner.

The distances were three-parts of a length and a length and a half, with the time marginally slower than the Free Handicap.

Sacred looked speedy and precocious last term, and defeats in the Flying Childers and Cheveley Park Stakes – where she was last in cheekpieces – seemed to confirm that she would be hard to place this year, but she saw out the seven furlongs of the Nell Gwyn well. While much more will be required to land the fillies’ classic over an extra furlong, her trainer was unequivocal about sending her to face that task.

It’s possible that she was helped by the fitting of a tongue tie for the first time, but time will tell if she has improved, or was merely more forward than less exposed rivals.

Jane Chapple-Hyam is looking forward to a rematch after Adam Kirby reported that Saffron Beach took plenty of pulling up, and there are reasons to believe that she will be better suited by the longer trip than the winner.

THE European Free Handicap has quite a rich history, with future Derby winner Mid-Day Sun carrying just 7st2lb to victory in 1937, while champions like Petite Etoile and Moorestyle have also taken the race en route to greater glory, but it’s 30 years since Mystiko went on to Guineas success at Newmarket after taking this contest, and the quality has dipped with the average field size.

This year’s renewal was won by Queen Elizabeth’s Tactical (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy), with the 5/1 shot overcoming trouble in running to overhaul the pace-setting favourite Naval Crown (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) to win by a neck.

Tactical, winner of the Windsor Castle and July Stakes as a juvenile, had his progress halted in Group 1 company after his Newmarket success, but was meeting largely exposed rivals (all making handicap debuts having raced in listed or group company), and he showed he had trained on well to produce a performance in line with his best juvenile efforts.

He’s not in the Guineas, and will head instead for the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, which will suit in terms of track and trip, for all he’ll be meeting more progressive rivals there.

Earl of Sefton

William Haggas expressed a degree of frustration about a slower start to 2021 than he would have liked, but the Newmarket handler is still producing winners at a better percentage than most of his contemporaries, and he fired off a quick treble on Wednesday to show that he’s hitting higher gear at just the right time.

First of his three winners on the card was My Oberon, who threw down an early gauntlet by producing a clear lifetime best to win the Group 3 Earl of Sefton under James Doyle, his powerful finishing kick seeing the 7/1 outsider of four successful by two and a half lengths from the front-running Marie’s Diamond (Mark Johnston/Silvestre de Sousa).

The winner was the youngest in the contest, and the least experienced too, so his improvement is not hard to understand, with the son of Dubawi only making his debut last June.

My Oberon disappointed on heavy ground on his final three-year-old outing, but his previous second to recent Doncaster scorer Top Rank in the Group 3 Superior Mile at Haydock in September was a noteworthy effort, and both he and the winner can make an impact at the highest level given both have plenty of scope for further development.

My Oberon proved his stamina for nine furlongs here, but he will be equally effective back at a mile, and an entry in the Lockinge is far from wishful thinking.